going to Croydon on Monday to file Flr

[ConfusedMe]

This is really unfair this one.

A friend just applied last month in PEO and provided an English certificate that is not in the new list. She was approved and visa process went it smoothly...

I wish they have uniformity with their decisions ...

[tboy555]

Thanks for that info Confused - I phoned PEO Croydon on the weekend and were told we would be refused as our English test was no longer valid, so we didn't visit them on Tues as planned (I didn't want to risk spending the whole miserable day down there and losing my £800 if I got a particularly miserable person behind the desk)
My wife retook the test on Tues, passed and we are now hoping that we get the certificate before Nov 11th when we are due to visit, wait for it, the PEO Belfast, which was the only one with availability before her visa run out.

What a joke!

I've raised the issue with my MP and made a formal complaint to UKBA. I will be seeking reimbursement of my extra costs through the court on the basis that the FLR is a continuation of the process started throguh fiancee visa; If it is not, then why must you take English test at fiancee visa stage, it would just be the same as a visit visa?!?! They should have allowed a longer timeframe to allow Fiancee visa holders (i.e. the full 6 months since the rule changed) to complete their process.
Wish us luck. Cheers!

[Terpe]

...............What a joke!
I've raised the issue with my MP and made a formal complaint to UKBA. I will be seeking reimbursement of my extra costs through the court on the basis that the FLR is a continuation of the process started throguh fiancee visa; If it is not, then why must you take English test at fiancee visa stage, it would just be the same as a visit visa?!?! They should have allowed a longer timeframe to allow Fiancee visa holders (i.e. the full 6 months since the rule changed) to complete their process.
Wish us luck. Cheers!

Good for you tboy, it really is an absolute disgrace. I get the feeling that someone somewhere screwed up.
If you get any response would be good to hear.

[grahamw48]

Also local press/TV.

Racial discrimination people.

In other words, what all the damned illegals do.

Govt.departments hate such publicity.

[ynwa]

I took my TOEIC test in philippines last April from Hopkins and it says ETS on the certificate. As i look through the UKBA website on new approved english test, ETS is there.
Do you think i will be ok as my documents are all ready for flr.

[Dedworth]

Thanks for that info Confused - I phoned PEO Croydon on the weekend and were told we would be refused as our English test was no longer valid, so we didn't visit them on Tues as planned (I didn't want to risk spending the whole miserable day down there and losing my £800 if I got a particularly miserable person behind the desk)
My wife retook the test on Tues, passed and we are now hoping that we get the certificate before Nov 11th when we are due to visit, wait for it, the PEO Belfast, which was the only one with availability before her visa run out.

What a joke!

I've raised the issue with my MP and made a formal complaint to UKBA. I will be seeking reimbursement of my extra costs through the court on the basis that the FLR is a continuation of the process started throguh fiancee visa; If it is not, then why must you take English test at fiancee visa stage, it would just be the same as a visit visa?!?! They should have allowed a longer timeframe to allow Fiancee visa holders (i.e. the full 6 months since the rule changed) to complete their process.
Wish us luck. Cheers!

mayt@parliament.uk

[tboy555]

Well, we finally got flr

After a day trip to Belfast - it was very quiet in the office there and the whole thing took less than 2 hours - Half an hour of that was the girl checking with her boss whether they could accept my copy bank statements on HSBC paper (which had been fine at our fiancee visa stage) - she asked me to go back into central Belfast and get a signed letter from the bank! But in the end she spoke to her boss and common sense prevailed (is this a verified first for UKBA?).

Just need the biometrics card to arrive now. As an aside we had a lovely time in the Crown pub in Belfast after we were done (nearly missed flight back!)

And now to go after UKBA for recovery of my additional costs.....

[gWaPito]

It DOES seem a bit of a , Alan ... ! Anyway, you're doing the right thing in applying through a PEO - it's worth the extra £300 to be spared the agony of waiting around for the postman and wondering: "Could this be it ... ?" for weeks on end.

All the very best to you and Jen for Monday.

Funnily enough, the reason we are applying in person is because we don't want to be without a passport.

My wife has an aging big family..the thought of anything bad happening there and then not being able to get back is a thought too much to bear.

Whether the visa take a month or 12, it don't matter...its not being able to go home in an emergency....hence the personal application

What a terrible state off affairs...surely commonsense should of prevailed and there honestly obtained certificate should of been honoured.

This is the sort of escapade you'd expect in The Philippines, not in good ol blighty.

So glad my wife got here before this test came into force.